Bulls' Joakim Noah likes offseason moves

The Bulls' Joakim Noah talks about his campaign to combat gun violence through his foundation on Friday.

The Bulls' Joakim Noah talks about his campaign to combat gun violence through his foundation on Friday.

K.C. Johnson, Tribune reporter

For more than an hour Friday on the West Side, Joakim Noah put smiles on young children’s faces and perhaps some hope in their hearts.

Noah posed for pictures. He told stories. And with local rapper Common looking on, his Noah’s Arc Foundation unveiled a powerful public service announcement — complete with two Derrick Rose cameos — promoting non-violence and urging Chicagoans to stand up for peace.

But hang around the Bulls’ All-NBA center long enough and his legendary competitiveness always will surface.

“I’m happy for LeBron James,” Noah said, a sly smile forming. “He gets to go home. People are happy over there. But I really hope that we can kick his ass as many times as possible.”

This NBA offseason indeed has seen James move from the Heat to his home-state Cavaliers. It has featured Noah prominently recruiting Carmelo Anthony and Pau Gasol in free agency and rehabbing a left knee that needed minor arthroscopic knee surgery at season’s end.

Noah said the knee feels “great.” His outlook for next season is the same.

“I’m really, really excited about the Bulls,” Noah said. “(General manager Gar Forman) and (executive vice-president John Paxson) and everybody did a really good job. It just makes you want to work hard and be as ready as possible for the season.

“Even when we sucked, I always felt like we had championship aspirations. I don’t go into a game thinking we’re going to lose — ever. I don’t care who we play against. Obviously, a lot of things need to go your way to win a championship. You have to be lucky. The chemistry has to be great. We feel like we’ve dealt with a lot of adversity, which will help us in the long run. Our team is hungry.”

Noah spent several hours with both Gasol and Anthony and praised both players, emphasizing Gasol’s commitment to community service as well.

“Pau is somebody who is very, very smart,” Noah said. “He comes with a lot of experience. … It’s very humbling to play with somebody who has won championships and with his pedigree. He’s somebody I can really learn from.

“(Anthony) did the right decision for him. We obviously recruited him pretty hard. I’m really excited about our team the way it is. I think we’re deeper. Me personally, I can’t control where another man goes. If he feels like New York is the best position for him, I’m happy for him. At the end of the day, what I care about is this city and the Bulls.”

That love will continue Saturday at the United Center, where Noah will host the ONE CITY Basketball Tournament for his foundation. Noah said Derrick Rose will coach one team.

“I’m really proud of him,” Noah said of Rose’s second knee rehabilitation. “He sacrificed his whole summer to be the best that he can be. That’s all you can do. People’s expectations, all that stuff doesn’t matter. I’m just proud of him for putting in the work that he put in to be in the best position possible. He has helped us out too with our foundation. I have nothing but love for him.”

Just watching Noah at Friday’s event at the Major Adams Community Center reminded all how much love he has for many.

“The better (the Bulls) do on the court, the bigger our foundation gets and the more work we can do in the community,” Noah said. “All this stuff that we’re doing in the community gives me strength. It makes me feel like I’m playing for more than winning and losing.

“All this violence that’s going on in Chicago, I feel like it’s all our problems. It’s not just a South Side problem. It’s not just a West Side problem. This is a city problem. We all have to come together. I don’t know what the answers are. I really don’t. I’m just trying my best.”

Layups: At his introductory news conference in Los Angeles, Carlos Boozer called his reduced role in his final season with the Bulls “humbling” and said he “absolutely” expects to start for the Lakers. He added he thinks he can play another four to seven seasons. … Anthony told ESPN.com he was “flip-flopping” on his decision, calling the Bulls “a situation where I could have walked in to an opportunity to compete for the next however many years.”